Nuno Espirito Santo has confirmed West Ham are practising penalties ahead of their FA Cup fourth-round tie at League One Burton Albion, aiming to avoid a giant killing. The Brewers sit 21st in the third tier after five games without a win, while the Hammers are fighting to escape the Premier League relegation zone.
The Portuguese manager cited recent upsets, including his former club Nottingham Forest losing on penalties to Wrexham and holders Crystal Palace being beaten by Conference North side Macclesfield. “Macclesfield beating Crystal Palace shows the quality that English football has,” he said.
Espirito Santo, who took Wolves to Burton’s Pirelli Stadium in the Championship, described the tie as “very, very tough” and stressed the need to respect the opposition. “That's why we are practising penalties already. We will practice both days before the game. It's a very important part of the competition,” he added.
Goalkeeper Alphonse Areola will start, with Mads Hermansen having played the last two league matches. “Normally the goalkeeper that's not been used in the Premier League plays the cup,” explained Espirito Santo. “It's not a rest for Mads. It's a normal decision.”
West Ham are three points from safety with 12 league games remaining, but their recent revival began with an extra-time win over QPR in the third round. The Cup offers opportunities for fringe players, with Espirito Santo noting: “It's an important competition for us that we respect. We're going to try and go through and take it day by day.”
